Freebird Posted October 4, 2009 Share #1 Posted October 4, 2009 Folks, I think that Eileen and I are going to try to take an Alaskan Cruise in July or August of 2010. We have a lady here who sells cruises and she asked me a year or so ago if I thought there was any interest within the club of a group package. I just thought I would throw it out here and see. Also, anybody who has done the inland passage Alaskan cruise and wants to share their opinion of the best cruise line to use and etc., it would be appreciated. I am thinking that we will depart from Seattle and do a 7 night cruise. I've looked at ads from Norwegian, Celebrity, Carnival and Princess at this time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOO Posted October 4, 2009 Share #2 Posted October 4, 2009 My wife better not see this post buddy or you are in trouble, she's been harping about doing one of these for some time. Can I bribe one of the moderators to delete this post????? Hurry!!!!! Thanks, BOO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverdeer0454 Posted October 4, 2009 Share #3 Posted October 4, 2009 My wife better not see this post buddy or you are in trouble, she's been harping about doing one of these for some time. Can I bribe one of the moderators to delete this post????? Hurry!!!!! Thanks, BOO Here's how you can make it a super combination of two worlds. Ride your motorcycles to my house on Camano Island, it's free parking and safe. We can get you to the cruise terminal in Seattle real easy and on time. After the cruise, return to Camano and I'll sponsor a big BBQ and everyone can work on my bike! See the very best of two worlds...motorcycles and cruising. silverdeer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ponch Posted October 4, 2009 Share #4 Posted October 4, 2009 We've been on a few cruizes. So far the one we enjoyed best was with Holland America. The vessels are older but were in way better shape than the newest one we were on. We've been on several Carnival Cruizes that were very good entertainment wise, but were not so good in as far as the condition of the ship and the level of service you were given. We did an inside passage Alaskan cruize on Princess that was good. Lots of wildlife (Aquatic, that is) to see, the glaciers were amazing, and debarking in Seward, Alaska, we took about a three hour scenic train ride to Anchorage. Stops in Ketchikan and Skagway were great. Out of Skagway, we took the Alaskan gold rush train up into the Yukon of Canada. How they built this railway is incomprehensible. The thing rides right on the edge of a very steep cliff through the mountains. This is something worth seeing. We would do it again (on any cruize line). It depends on pricing whether we could afford to do it next year. If you've never been on a cruize, lets just say if you don't get enough to eat, its your fault. I highly recommend the Inside Passage cruize. Ponch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonRider Posted October 4, 2009 Share #5 Posted October 4, 2009 Looks like I could possibly get Charlene on that cruise we didnt take last year..............Very interested here, especially if Charlene gets better by then................keep us posted. Jamie and Paula did one a couple of years ago on Norwegian and raved about it............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M61A1MECH Posted October 4, 2009 Share #6 Posted October 4, 2009 My wife and I would be interested , we have talked about it several times. We just returned from a two week 2500 mile trip to DC and back, so the next vacation will not be on the bike. We had a great time, but after 9 years of motorcycle vacations we are ready for a change. Keep me posted on what you need to cement the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tx2sturgis Posted October 4, 2009 Share #7 Posted October 4, 2009 Can I pack my Venture in a carry-on bag? Think the porters would notice? I mean, whats a 900 pound carry-on bag anyway? I mean, No sir, thats just my boom-box...see the antennas sticking out of the bag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsigwing Posted October 4, 2009 Share #8 Posted October 4, 2009 Folks, I think that Eileen and I are going to try to take an Alaskan Cruise in July or August of 2010. We have a lady here who sells cruises and she asked me a year or so ago if I thought there was any interest within the club of a group package. I just thought I would throw it out here and see. Also, anybody who has done the inland passage Alaskan cruise and wants to share their opinion of the best cruise line to use and etc., it would be appreciated. I am thinking that we will depart from Seattle and do a 7 night cruise. I've looked at ads from Norwegian, Celebrity, Carnival and Princess at this time. I'm already booked on an Alaskan cruise for the end of June on Celebrity. Would be great if this was the same one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerryT Posted October 5, 2009 Share #9 Posted October 5, 2009 Just did the 7 day inside pasage first week of Aug. We also used Holland America and flew in / out of Van Couver, BC. Holland is first rate with great service/crew. Service, activities, shows, entertainment were all good and the food unbelievable. Get ready to gain some weight. I think the average age of passangers might be older on Holland then some of the others ( ie, not alot of kids.) Since we are empty nesters, this was great with us. I am not a cruise type, but would do this again in a minute, just not in next years budget. I agree Holland's ships are smaller, but this lets them go in places the larger ships can't go and is a good thing. Saw glacier bay, and they take the ship and just spin it like a zero turn mower, making maybe a dozen complete revelutions before leaving. We did 3 port stops and all were good. Another nice thing, not bad waves / ship movement in the inside passage so again smaller ship is fine. Inside passage is a great cruise and we would highly recommend Holland as first rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted October 5, 2009 Share #10 Posted October 5, 2009 Can I pack my Venture in a carry-on bag? Think the porters would notice? I mean, whats a 900 pound carry-on bag anyway? I mean, No sir, thats just my boom-box...see the antennas sticking out of the bag? We could race around the Ship!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailor Posted October 5, 2009 Share #11 Posted October 5, 2009 We went on an Alaska cruise a couple years ago. The White pass railway out of Skagway is terrific. To think that all those gold seekers followed the same trail with 2000 lbs of supplies is incredible. We had gone on a Panama canal cruise 6 months earlier, turned out to be on the same ship and some of the crew even recognized us! You can usually get a cheaper rate if you can provide the numbers. We went by float plane from Saltspring to Vancouver and returned the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary N. Posted October 5, 2009 Share #12 Posted October 5, 2009 A definite maybe from us Don. We were planning to do an Alaskan trip next summer too but we were thinking of taking the bike to the coast and then the Alaska Marine Hwy. (http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.shtml) up the inside passage then bike down the Alaskan Hwy. A Cruise Ship is not exactly what we were planning but might just work. Will keep an eye on this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b2dad Posted October 5, 2009 Share #13 Posted October 5, 2009 Pat and I did the inside passageway on Norwegian Cruise line 2 years ago and absolutely loved it. Would love to go again. That was the 2nd time on Norwegian for us (went Caribbean the first time) so of course we had a discount on the Alaskan trip. We love their ships, they are fairly new and the service couldn't be beat. Couldn't leave our cabin for 5 minutes and the room steward would have it cleaned up. The restaurants were fabulous. Alot of different type menus to choose from. I stayed in the casino alot when cruising, Pat always knew where to find me. this one stops at 4 different ports in Alaska. The only mistake we made was scheduling activities at each one so that by the last stop we were so tired. Wished we had just visited some of the towns and maybe even rented a car to drive ourselves around. I think you can also rent motorcycles in some of the towns. We saw lots of wildlife, aquatic and otherwise. We also got to see a couple of glaciers, even up close. We went in late May and couldnt' have asked for better weather. It was absolutely gorgeous and we never needed the heavy coats / boots / longjohns that we had packed. I would seriously recommend Norwegian Cruise Line. And the inside passage can't be beat. Sorry this is so long...but I wanted to let everyone know how much we love this cruise line. (Can you all tell that Pat is typing this??) Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradT Posted October 5, 2009 Share #14 Posted October 5, 2009 My wife better not see this post buddy or you are in trouble, she's been harping about doing one of these for some time. This is Naugh-T's dream trip. Can't say that we can make it but you never know. Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyRich Posted October 5, 2009 Share #15 Posted October 5, 2009 Thanks goodness, Your going the wrong way.....Jude wants to go south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
massey130 Posted October 5, 2009 Share #16 Posted October 5, 2009 Well, Deb got to readin this one after i mentioned it. she has been wanting to go on one of these here cruzes. we are interested, but the price is important. that comes around our annual trip to see Deb's family in Minnesota. We are in Louisiana, so timing and dollar count is important for us. dale in La Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted October 5, 2009 Share #17 Posted October 5, 2009 We did Carneval cruise to Mexican Riviera I think it was. Sailed out of LA and 2,5 days later arrived at Puerto Vallarta....first thing I saw when I looked out the cabin window was a huge Wakmart sign! I wasnt impressed.....then went to Mazatlan and Cabo san Lucas. Lots of food, corny entertainment, I really didnt like be forced to tip 15 % automatically for everything. I believe in tipping for good service and not if its bad. That and the cruise line had their fingers in alot of the so called jewelery sales and gimmicks to get us to buy various things at certain shops only. Alaskan cruise would be nice though and we have talked about it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted October 5, 2009 Share #18 Posted October 5, 2009 Wife and I were given an Alaskan Cruise for our 50th birthdays this year (sailed in mid August) by our kids and families. We went from Vancouver which is about 3 hrs from our house by bus and ferry. We checked our bags at the bus depot in Victoria and they were in our cabin when we got there. The sights are unbelievable..... We live on the west coast and we thought we knew what beautiful was until we took this trip..... I shot over 700 photos in 7 days. Holland America was fantastic... if you have never seen a glacier before your heart will skip when you see these things! Icebergs are the most awesome colour of blue ! I assure you, if you go with this and we can scrape the cash for another set of tickets we will go also. Oh and if you are cheap like us..... expect 1,500 USD spending loot.... plus booze! It was the first time in 23 yrs we had left our kids and taken a holiday. It was worth the wait, but we will not wait that long again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autopilot Posted October 5, 2009 Share #19 Posted October 5, 2009 We had been looking at this trip also, but as a package with air & ground transport from Myrtle Beach and back . The wife was doing the actual checking. But, that was before they clubbed our income with a mace, gutted it and SET FIRE TO IT. Whoa! Head Rush! I don't know what her thoughts are at the moment, but I'll certainly find out. I think we need to get away for a little while (actually that would be: SHE needs to; I want to) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lone Eagle Posted October 5, 2009 Share #20 Posted October 5, 2009 Barb and I did the Inside Passage - but left out of San Francisco about 5 years ago - as that was really convenient for us. We went in late August (if I remember correctly). Extra couple of days up - and back - but well worth it for the additional relaxation time. I would definitely recommend either Princess and/or Norwegian - but class companies. We lucked out - the couple of weeks prior to our cruise the weather was miserable - on our week - the best they had seen in a long time, so we were able to get up and close to the Glaciers. The food, service on Princess was great - and the optional tours they offered were very good - Barb and I took couple of the "smaller" operators - I find they are often more interesting - and go places sometimes the big busses can't get to. The only regret I have is that we doing do the extra couple of days to do the train ride others have spoken about. We wouldn't be able to make it next year as now the I am getting healed up - I need to get a job! But I think you have an awesome idea, Don. If you move forward with this, I will look around and let you know the tours we took - I would go back again just for those trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted October 5, 2009 Share #21 Posted October 5, 2009 Pat and I did the inside passageway on Norwegian Cruise line 2 years ago and absolutely loved it. I'll second that. NCL is a fun cruise with their 'Freestyle' theme. We did the Carribian 5 years ago with NCL and it was a hoot!! The family did Alaska with Celebrity 3 years ago and it sucked. The on-shore activities were great, but the on-board was boring as 'H'. The wife is leaving friday for a Mexico Cruise on NCL for her 50th HS Reunion. I volunteered to watch the kids while she's gone. She's taking all our older girls with here so there's no one around to call in case I go bananas..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenw Posted October 5, 2009 Share #22 Posted October 5, 2009 I know the airfare is seperate, but around about what do one of these cruises cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted October 5, 2009 Share #23 Posted October 5, 2009 I know the airfare is seperate, but around about what do one of these cruises cost? I think it cost the wife and I around $850 per. The kids were half price. The shore 'tours' ran another 5-600, and it could have been a lot more but we were frugal. We drove up to Seattle from Sacramento. Stayed over night in Oregon. All in all it worked out to be a lot cheaper than flying 4 people. If it'd been close in cost we would have flown... Now with this economy all sorts of 'Deals' are being bandied about so shop.. shop..shop.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankd Posted October 5, 2009 Share #24 Posted October 5, 2009 Barbara has been harping that she wants to take this cruise for a couple of years now, so I guess that means that we're interested. Would the travel agent that arranges this group cruise be able to arrange our connecting flights, or would we take care of that ourselves?? Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary N. Posted October 5, 2009 Share #25 Posted October 5, 2009 I just got a cruise flyer in the mail today. For Holland America, 7 days round trip out of Vancouver BC. Interior $839 cdn, ocean view $959 cdn, balcony $1979 cdn. All price are plus $135 pp Gov't fees and taxes. Departure dates from May 12 thru Sept. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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